Belgium's Bar
by France's Courtesans
Summary: Belle, Nation-tan for Belgium, has a bar that she considers her baby. Now if only the others felt the same respect for it. War memories, love memories, and pure chaos follows our lovely Nation-tans...and that is when they're not plastered.
1. The Bar

**Disclaimer: We don't own **_**Axis Powers Hetalia **_

Quick notes:

-Belle Berger is the name we are using for Belgium's Nation-tan because she has no official one

-Though this is the introduction to this story the following chapters, while taking place at her bar, are independent one-shots and may or may not be linked to each other.

-Continued in end notes…

* * *

Belle Berger, (known as Belgium) like many of the other Nation-tans, had her own hobby, a pet project that she partook in to relax. Elizaveta had her photography, Alfred his movies, Arthur his embroidery, and she liked to tend her bar. She found a certain enjoyment in serving up a pint of her countries Leffe, Kriek, and Shiimake. She also found something comforting about mixing drinks, keeping everything in order, and playing the agony aunt for someone. The later was particularly important to her.

With most of the drunken confessionals she heard from patrons, she played a priestly role by simply listening, assessing the situation, and giving advice that she felt was suiting. Belle was never one to stand out in a crowd and as a bartender that didn't seem to change much, but she enjoyed having the relationship with the person, feeling like she might just make an impact on their life. Still, depressed drunks do not have the best memories when wasted. Not only did most not remember her advice the only reminder they had at all of her or the night before was a pounding pain their heads the next morning.

The building itself was two stories above ground and one story under, made out of plain brick. It was a place that the other Nation-tans tended to show up at when they were in Brussels. The ground floor served as the general bar for civilians while the upper level was for the Nation-tans to enjoy themselves and just like the rest of her companions Belle took a certain pride in her home country. As such the color scheme was done in black, yellow, and red.

On the ground floor she proudly displayed her coat of arms on the back wall as well as the top floor. It was not a huge place and she might guess the largest crowd she ever saw was 600 people. Naming the place was simple. Before the doors had ever opened the building already held a special piece of her within its very foundation. A neon sign out front still today says _Belle's_.

One of the favorite traditions at _Belle's_ was the optional theme nights every Friday and Saturday night. It may have been a little off for business, but every person that showed up in theme was given their first round free, while the person with the best costume had that night's tab paid off in full by her. Of course for one Francis Bonnefoy she implemented the policy of if he showed up dressed round one was free and if he remained fully dressed the entire night his tab would be dropped regardless to if he was in theme or if someone else won the contest. Anyone who thought that was a horrible business venture to make had obviously never met Bonnefoy. She was safe.

Belle of course had the basic bar rules: no horrible conduct, respect the workers, adhere to the laws of Belgium, etc. The only other policy she could think of was her dress policy. A person was to show up dressed and she could understand if they lost an article of clothing or two. Alcohol was involved and clothes a habit of disappearing whilst one was drunk. It was even reasonable for someone to leave in a makeshift, tablecloth toga since she was guilty of having done that a few times before (Belgian beer is stronger the most others).

However for Francis she had a staple gun right under the counter that he knew oh too well would be used to attach clothing to him. He had this awful habit of trying to show up less than dressed and/or trying to strip himself and anyone near by naked before the night was over. He got the message after she once caught him and almost successfully attaching his pants and seemed to get the idea to obey the rules.

The only reason she was stricter with him at her bar was that far too many Conferences had ended with her having seen a bit too much of the other Nation-tan. Even now she can't look at the Eiffel Tower without a shadow of shame coming over her…

Belle strolled in before anyone else to get ready for the day like she did so many other times. She placed her keys in her pockets, took her seat at the front counter on the upper floor, and waited.

* * *

**SauerkrautScones:** The idea of Belle Berger (the human name we picked out for the Nation-tan of Belgium) owning a bar has been something we have tossed around since summer. For some reason we pictured her being perfectly at home during her off time behind a bar mixing drinks and as a result ended up thinking up several possible story ideas that ended up taking place here. So this bar will be part of our personal fanon for the show and other fanfics will make reference to it at times.

This will also be a kind of dump for the main one shots we expect to take place here. So expect stories published here to be from either Mint or myself or both. Also expect most things here to earn its T rating because...look at our username and expect things not to earn their ratings. Though a K+ thing might makes itself in sometimes. Also the Nation-tan's will probably be mostly referred to as their human names because it is more about them as characters than countries.

**MintMarionette: **Leffe, Kriek, and Shiimake = Belgian alcohols. When I think ok Belgium I think of waffles and beer therefore of course she'd own a bar (because SS says a waffle house wouldn't be as exciting). She was lying through her keyboard about the ratings, though. Don't be surprised when fifteen chapters in there are… certain _warnings_ on a certain chapter if we're bored at six A.M. again. ^-^ Joking… or am I?

Anyways I hope you enjoyed the intro. Trust me the chapter are going to be more interesting. Sorry for the beastly endnotes. Feel free to review or PM us with any comments, questions, flames, or requests.


	2. Zombies

Parings: None

Characters: Gilbert, Belle, Ludwig, Elizabeta, and Kiku

Rating: T for mild language

Disclaimer: We do not own Axis Powers Hetalia

* * *

It was a most ordinary night at _Belle's. _The crowd wasn't particularly large and seemed surprisingly well behaved for a Friday night.

Satisfied with the atmosphere down stairs, Belle left her human workers to tend to the ground floor and went to check on the second level expecting that the calm was complete tonight.

Sadly she was wrong.

Belle had only managed to clear half of the stairs between the two floors before hearing a definite crash above her head. It had been to light of a thud to be a person hitting the ground, that is, unless it was someone small like Raivis.

She quickened her pace.

Opening the door at the top of the stairs revealed an all to familiar sight to Belle. The human bartender had a grim and slightly conflicted look seeming half scared to move with various Nation-tans either screaming or holding their breath spread through out the bar.

This night's violent poison and cause of the hitch had turned out to be a drunken Gilbert Beilschmidt behind a turned over table, outwardly holding it down as a fort, wielding what appeared to be a broken broom stick.

If that was his makeshift fort Belle could only assume that the three smashed mugs and various alcohol pools soaking in to her wood floor were sections of the battlefield. Ludwig stood beside the overturned table appearing to be convincing his brother that an undead army was not coming for him and Kiku was not their leader.

The sight gave Belle one of her two comforting thoughts. At least one of the Germans was sober and Francis wasn't here tonight.

"What in this world happened?"

"Fucking zombies!" Gilbert proclaimed loudly, a bit of Quadrupel sloshing out of the mug he clung to on his shirt as he jumped to his feet, broom stick still in hand.

"...E-excuse me?"

"ZOMBIES! They're coming! I'm telling you! They're fucking coming!" With a swig of his beer he collapsed back to his position. "All the fucking signs are right here!"

"What the hell- Ludwig get him out of here!" She bellowed, still shocked at the damage one man had done to her bar... again.

"I've been trying." Ludwig lowered his head to Gilbert's level. "We've been over this four times now. Zombies do not exist, regardless to what Norway and England say. Supernatural beings do not exist and you are not in one of Alfred's plot less movies now stop this!"

"West, you disappoint me. Wait they got to you didn't they? Damn it, that's what you get for defending fucking Kiku. He's one of them and now you are too! Ima missya man!"

He pitched the mug and managed to get two swing at him with the broomstick before losing his footing and tumbling to the ground, his rage turning in to an all to familiar depression.

"You were my damn brother, man! My brother!" Gilbert, losing the fight to stop openly sobbing for the sixth time this month, was finally lifted from his position, slung over Ludwig's shoulder, and continued to rant about zombie armies all the way out the door.

At least that was over. Belle looked around at the destruction and could only hang her head. A hand touched the back of her shoulder. She turned to see Elizabeta wearing a sympathetic smile. "Need some help straightening this place back up?"

She nodded. "How did you ever put up with him?"

"He's really not that more violent as a drunk."

Belle straightened up and cocked her eyebrow. "Excuse me? This isn't the first time I've seen him drunk, Lizzie."

"I said he wasn't that violent when drunk not that he wasn't bat shit crazy."

"Lizzie tell me how that was non violent? He nearly took Ludwig's head off with half a broom!"

"That jackass is always violent, it doesn't change because of the alcohol." She reasoned while starting to pick up broken glass.

"True"

A few hours later they were almost done cleaning. "By the way Lizzie, how exactly did this start? More importantly why was Honda Kiku the zombie leader?"

Elizabeta sighed, "I was walking by when I heard Kiku scream. It sounded promising so grabbed my camera out of my bag and rushed in to see the action, but all I ended up seeing was him dodging beer mugs that Gilbert was throwing at him. So disappointing.

Anyways Gilbert said it was because 'his eyes were dark and empty so he had no soul' then he started throwing things saying 'I will avenge you'. Even knowing that I still have no honest clue of what he was talking about for sure."

"I didn't see Kiku today?" Belle questioned.

"He ran away faster then Feliciano in Switzerland once he saw the table flip. I mean Gilbert almost took out Ludwig and he wasn't even after him."

"Wow faster then Francis from my stable gun, eh?" and with that the girls erupted in laughter thus ending the night.

* * *

Quadrupel = Strong Belgian Beer

MintMarionette here, sorry for the shortness yet again, but this idea struck me randomly so I stopped the working on my other chapter to write it. Hopefully Sauerkraut will have her update soon. Have a good 2010.


	3. Closing Time

Pairings: Vietnam x Taiwan with mentions of France x Seychelles

Characters: Belgium, Seychelles, Taiwan, and Vietnam with mentions of various others.

Rating: K+

Notes: Taiwan's human name is Lin, Mei.  
Vietnam's human name is Kim, Thanh.  
Seychelles' human name is Michelle "Shelly" Talma.  
Holland's human name is Diederick Vogel.

Disclaimer: We don't own Hetalia.  
-------

Paranoid was the only way Belle could think to describe how she felt while glancing between the clock and the patrons of the Nation-tan's Floor. It was almost closing time and chaos had not reared its ugly head once tonight.

On a normal night she should have been forced to break up a fight, stop at least three molestations, and been used as someone's-usually Arthur's or Yao's -agony aunt. Instead Alfred had escorted the sloshed Brit out around midnight, Francis was on his best behavior, and Gilbert and Vash hadn't shown their faces.

Stealing another glance at the clock she resisted the urge to call it a night early and close up because it was boring. After a while Belle had to call her own sanity into question when she realized she wanting to see the normal disturbance in the small coward.

A quick glance around the room gave her an inventory of who was left lingering. She almost slapped herself…under no circumstance would she be the one who instigates trouble in her own bar? Belle decided that she had to be crazy or maybe that dirty brother of hers drugged her. Yeah that was it. Stupid Diederick drugged her earlier when he was there. She was not crazy enough to cure boredom with chaos.

"You look bored, ma belle," a distinctly feminine voice called to spaced out bartender. Sprinkled through out the short phrase was that distinctive French-English mishmash accent that belonged to the Shelly Talma, the Nation-tan of Seychelles.

"Yeah, " the blonde replied while turning to look at the petite island girl. The girl had the disheveled appearance of someone who had spent the evening in a corner booth making out with someone. Well, that explained why Francis had been behaving this evening...he had a willing partner.

"Well, you know we should really help out our friend, Mei," the dark haired girl mused while trying to smooth her hair down.

"Why?"

"She has been staring longingly at Thanh every time I see her. It is obvious she has no clue what to do."

"Its because Francis is paying attention to Thanh more than you isn't it?" Belle asked with a slight smirk. She had spent a lot of time as the ignored girl herself. Seeing this as a cure for boredom she asked, "What's the plan?"

"I say we get her drunk then shove her on top of Thanh. There is nothing like a little liquid courage to spark a romance."

"Polderbier fruitig should do her some good," Belle mused to herself while pouring half a pint. It was a shame that it was going to be downed like a common shot instead of savored but sacrifices had to be made in times like theses

Twenty minutes later she watched the tiny Asian girl don a determined look and stumbled off towards Thanh. Truthfully it looked like she would pass out before she got there providing she did not trip and knock herself out.

On the upside it looked like she would be on top of the Vietnamese girl on her own. Maybe Belle would get her entertainment this evening after all.

"Em Gái, are you okay?" Thanh asked while turning to look the determined girl before her. She was showing the telltale signs of over indulging by swaying while standing still and blushing intensely.

In response Mei grabbed Thanh by the shoulders and tried to kiss her mouth but missed and planted the kiss on her nose. Turning scarlet she pushed back the tears with the intent of trying again. Out of all the times for her to mess up something it had to be now when she really needed execute her plan perfectly. Before she could change stop herself she was crying.

"Come now, Em Gái. It wasn't so bad," the elder girl mused while waving the group she was drinking with away. Pulling the blushing girl into her lap she whispered, "It was a lovely kiss."

"Y-you're just saying th-that t-to make me feel better," Mei spoke slowly with a slight stutter. She hid behind her sleeves and refused to look up.

"In fact I believe I should return the favor," Thanh muttered softly to herself. Pulling the girl's hands away from her face, she titled her head up and kissed her soundly.

Blushing, Mei smiled then promptly passed out.

"Closing time," Belle when she looked up at the clock, soft smile graced her face as she watched Thanh carry out the passed out Mei. However she winced when she realized that Mei would have the hangover from Hell in the morning.

-------  
By SauerkrautScones… about a week ago… yes Mint is posting it just now… I'm going to go now.

Ma belle means My Beautiful in French.  
Em Gái is little sister in Vietnamese.  
Polderbier fruitig is a Belgian beer.


	4. How Soon is Tomorrow?

Disclaimer: We still don't own Hetalia.../waits/... still don't.

* * *

It was dark outside and the lantern on the street corner made the shot glass case sparkle.

Belle liked that look, stars scattered about her shelf. It had been so long sense she had actually gotten to close up at closing time, not to mention getting to walk home while the stars were still out.

"I can get this, Ms. Belle, you've done enough tonight", One of the human bar keeps said, taking the rag and shot glass out Belle's hands. She always worked the hardest on empty days like today.

The lack of bodies gave her a better look at her rooms. She'd wipe down any surface that looked a bit dusty and straighten up the same wall display every time she passed by it.

It didn't hurt that Toris and Matthew were the only two of her kind that had dropped by for a drink today or that the two of them were on the short list of 'if you're by yourself you can drink with the normal people'.

Belle nodded to her worker, "Today's been… peaceful."

"Yeah. Nice isn't it?" After a moment without a response the girl dropped her tone a little. "You've seemed like you needed a slow day, Ms. Belle…"

Belle shook her head to get rid of the thoughts rambling around her. "I guess I have, now that you mention it. Just a day to recharge a little, you know?" She said with a soft smile.

The girl's face brightened at the response. "Of course. I can watch the bar if you want to take the night off, you're only human after all."

"No." Belle laughed on the inside and the irony, not sure herself which part of the statement she was answering. "Here is more relaxing than anywhere else I could be."

"You really love this place don't you, Ms. Belle?"

She looked away from the young girl, "It's my baby." That was the truth. The building grew and gained more personality as time passed, cracks here and there as the results of the foundation settling served as it's growing pains, and it was the closest thing a nation-tan would ever get to an actual child.

A few hours went by before Belle's heart jumped out of her skin at a loud, pounding base beat upstairs. She quickly raced to see the cause.

"_If you want my body and you think I'm sexy_"

"Francis, get off my table!"

"_Come on sugar let me know_"

"Francis, do I look like I'm joking?"

"_If you really need me just reach out and touch me_"

"Oh you do no want me to 'touch you', now get the hell off my table!"

So much for a peaceful night, why oh why did Belle listen to that damn Hungarian? To be truthful a karaoke machine seemed like a good idea when Elizabeta had suggested it.

Keyword "seemed".

That seemingly harmless hunk of plastic was now the enemy as one Francis Bonnefoy had hopped up on a back table and proceeded to strip while singing.

All right so this wasn't that abnormal for Francis, but now he had taken the advertisement of Belle's karaoke machine as an open invitation to do such from now on.

Belle hung her head in defeat as Elizabeta joined the Frenchman on the make-shift stage earning a small cheer from the crowd if only by a lingering hope that someone other than Francis was going to strip for a change.

The hope was misplaced.

Lizzy grabbed the microphone from Bonnefoy to cover the lyrics so he could focus on his stripping to her left.

"_He's acting shy looking for an answer"_

Lizzy belted with a motion of her hips as Francis started on his pants, both of them pausing only to shoot Gilbert and Arthur evil looks when they yelled "take it off" and "leave it on!" respectively.

"Yes, in fact, put it all back on!" Belle concurred. When exactly had all these people slipped in during the day? And which soon-to-be-ex employ decided that the set alcohol limits were debatable?

Sadly for Belle perverted, just as evil, minds think a like. Francis and Lizzy shared a silent look and wink. When in doubt, play dirty.

Francis bent down to offer his hand to a certain, semi-sloshed member of the audience.

"Come on honey, let's spend the night together"

Antonio blushed and rolled his eyes at this friend, but hesitantly stretched his arm out to grab hold to the Frenchman's arm and pull himself on the table.

Elizabeta matched eyes with Belle from behind her bar where she was watching the whole event.

"Sometimes I love that damn Hungarian…"

"_His heart's beating like a drum 'cos at last he's got this girl home_"

Elizabeta was standing on the right side of the booth table, heels clicking to the beat with a pant less Francis helping Antonio unbutton his shirt from behind.

"_They wake at dawn 'cos all the birds are singing two total strangers, but that ain't what they're thinking_"

"Wow, Belle, I thought this was a bar not a strip club." Belle looked over at the American arm swung over her shoulder. "And I thought you had better tastes then this? Really, the man we've seen strip at every Christmas party and the lazy Spaniard? Now if she got in to it, at least it'd be a change." He jutted his finger in Elizabeta's direction. "Or even you. I mean I've never seen you with your clothes off before."

Apparently all former parts of the Spanish empire look like tomatoes when they blush.

"I-I think I need to step out, e-e-excuse me." Belle paced towards the stairs as quickly as she good, desperate to get some fresh air.

She put her back against the first floor door and slip to the floor. Between the her regular stress, seeing that surprise show, and Alfred's comment her head was spinning with less than appropriate thoughts and images.

Images that would have gotten a lot better had the damn cowboy not busted in. She took a deep breath and remained herself to be professional.

"Are you feeling okay?" A sincere voice asked with a tone that made it seem like he assumed she had gotten ill, not that it had to do with his words.

He followed me? Really? "I'm fine, just needed a second to compose myself." She gritted her teeth and tried to force back the venom. An idea popped in to her head.

She really had been hanging out with the Hungarian to much and she's be damned before she was the only flustered looking one up there.

Belle stood up, leaned closer, and gripping the bottom of her shirt while giving him a devious smile. "So, exactly how curios are you?"

Alfred eyes widened behind his glasses and couldn't help the blush that follow his mind catching on. Belle laughed, having accomplished her mission, and was about to turn her grip loose when the upstairs door swung open.

"See, Lizzy, I told ya' she went to strip for Alfred." Gilbert causally noted.

So much for being professional. She sunk to the floor once again, six pairs of eyes burning in to her.

Alfred turned to the people in the doorway, "So why did ya'll stop your party?"

"We figured this would be more entertaining." Arthur answered honestly.

"That's it, get out! All of you out-out-out!" She shouted, simply having enough for today. Belle was sure that someone protested, but she tuned him or her out. The next time she opened her eye was to an empty stairwell.

Deep breaths filled her lungs as she rested her head on the chilled stonewall. Belle was tired. She wanted to curl up and go sleep right there.

It was the perfect temperature in the room, but the air was thickening around her. She scrunched in closer to herself, letting her head lay on her knees.

Today wasn't any harder than any other day. The same people were the same people, same attitudes, same mannerisms, so why wasn't she? She was usually great at keeping her cool during stressful situations, yet a little all-in-good-fun humor had cracked her today?

Why was today so much different than any other? She was healthy, her country was stable, and so was her bar.

"Ms. Belle? What's wrong? Are you hurt?" The girl from before rushed to her side. "Do you need some water? Did someone hurt you? Should-"

"I'm fine, Lea, just really tired. Today was… straining for some reason. I'm kind of wobbly at the moment."

"Do you need a ride home? Ah, here", the girl helped her to stand. She was rather plain looking, black hair pulled back with a band and a muddy green color to her eyes, but she was nice. Belle thought that, physically, the two of them were probably close in age.

"Thanks. And if you didn't mind…"

"Of course not! Let's just close up right fast then we can get on our way." The girl was always so happy too. Her face brightened up so easily and she was incredibly hard working, always trying to go out of her way to help. She was respectful and off of work Belle was starting to consider her a good friend.

They'd been shopping a few times and they were close enough for her to complain to Belle about how she aged like milk rather than wine after her past birthday a few weeks ago. Maybe that was it then, this accidental friendship.

Belle had never really gotten close to a human before. Antonio, Francis, and countless others had warned her about doing such.

A small time to Belle would be a lifetime to her friend. Yes, over the next, short span of years she would probably be invited to various birthdays, her wedding, and her funeral.

Or would she even get that far? Mirrors had reflected her the same image sense she had became a full fledged country.

Could she just explain why she didn't age at all? How long would she get to keep her bar in this location without it getting suspicions? Was it even weird for humans to know about nation-tans? Belle had no idea. She was still quite young underneath her mature nature.

"Ready to go?"

Belle took a long look around before flipping the lights off. She'd take a hot bath tonight and give Francis a call once he sobers up for the night. Despite his goofy personality, he was wise when he needed to be.

"Sure" She said quietly as she shut the door behind her. It looked liked rain tonight, no stars to be seen.

* * *

We finally update and it's depressing. Great. Just great.

Well, in any case, I hope you enjoyed the story. Feel free to leave any comments/questions/hurtful yo mama jokes/critics in the reviews.

~MintMarionette


	5. Lean on Me

**Notes: Marianna Biancheri is the name we are using for Monaco.**

**Disclaimer: Yeah, we still don't own Hetalia. **

* * *

Light from streetlamps and stars filter into the darkened bar while the faint scents of alcohol and cigar smoke still linger in the air. Voices from a radio echo in the background, at times managing to overpower the sounds of a broom gliding across the floor, but mostly remaining a dull hum. Atop the still lit bar rests a somewhat battered red clock, which read 4 A.M. A single person remained in the bar this late while others had left for home or greener pastures. It was the same person who lingered behind as was custom, Belle Berger the bar owner.

"Okay, so as soon as I finish sweeping, I'll have to polish the bar top and finish filling out those stock orders," she mused quietly to herself. Talking to herself was a habit she started what felt like centuries ago (and if honest it probably was that long) as a means to remember things and to fill silences. Even with the invention of sticky notes and radio it was a habit she did not plan to stop anytime soon. Though if left up to Francis she would have stopped long ago. He claimed it drove people away because it made her look like Arthur talking to his 'friends'. Quirks really should be something he understands best of all.

Returning the broom to its corner, Belle moved to the bar to start polishing. In truth she should be starting on the stock orders since she had polished the bar top once already, but she could not summon the will power to. Lately she had fallen into a funk of sorts for reasons she could not (more like would not) quite place. While some sought solace in numbers she found polishing to offer comfort to her. There was something about rubbing small, methodical circles across the expanse of walnut that made up part of her pride and joy to be so therapeutic.

During her second cycle of polishing a loud noise echoed from the hallway leading to the bar's door startling Belle. For the briefest moment she tensed up and prepared of the worst before a loud string of Hungarian curses reached her ears. It appeared that Elizaveta had decided to grace the bar with her presence for a second time that night. Regardless of the Hungarian's mood this was going to turn into a bad thing. She never graced the same place twice in one night without a reason.

Tossing the door open, the brunette limped into the dark bar with a frown knitting her brows together. The weak light from the stairwell cast a fuzzy sort of halo around her body while giving her hair a dull shimmer. It was odd really how brunettes' hair seemed to almost surreally shift colors under the subtlest of light changes. Luminism artists had the right idea in paying special attention to lighting.

"Earth to Belle, " Elizaveta stated plainly from her seat on the bar top. Popping the top to her beer she toke a long, satisfying draft. "I could have been seriously injured by your stupid stairwell and you didn't even bother to care."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to get distracted," the blonde mumbled before resuming her polishing work with a pensive expression. "Are you okay?" It bothered Belle a great deal that she did not even think to ask if Lizzie was okay while she limped in. On a normal day she would have been to her side in an instant instead of getting distracted by light. Nor would she have missed Elizaveta making it all the way to the bar and picking up a beer along the way.

"Apology accepted and I'm fine," she replied. Kicking up her right leg she displayed a boot with a missing heel. "Though my pair of ankle boots have unfortunately died. That bottom stair, you know the one with the hole, caught my heel and it snapped off. I was just starting to get attached to these boots too."

"Shouldn't you know to watch out for the microscopic hole by now? No one else has managed to break something," Belle answered trying to draw up some semblance of her normal attitude with one of her closet friends. It sounded painfully obvious to even her at how distracted she sounded. Quickly grappling for a subject she asked, "How was clubbing with Marianna and Shelly?"

"Fun enough but not something I'll actively seek out. Sure if they invite me again I'll join but there's no way I'll initiate anything."

"That bad?"

"By the third club Francis showed up. I mean I'm with Marianna and Shelly so I should be expecting to see him at some point before it's over. Though unlike when its just him and I can handle it, he had back up, " Elizaveta replied while laying down on the bar top. This was with out a doubt on of her favorite seats in the entire place.

"Who was with him tonight?" Belle asked a little too quickly. A look of concern flashed through the brunette's eyes but before she could speak another question was thrust upon her. "What happened?"

"Oh, you know Gilbert and Antonio like always. Although tonight Romano came along as well," she began while staring at the ceiling. Even though she could not see Belle she could feel the subtle vibrations of her polishing through the bar top. Something was bothering her if she was working this much. Though to give her time to open up she continued on with the story of her night. "A fight almost happened at the beginning though. Romano was being his usual, bratty self and as such flirting hard core with anything female in his general vicinity. Well at some point he turned his attention to Marianna who was rather receptive. This of course upset Antonio as is normal. Though unlike normal Francis wasn't mediating anything. Instead he had already snuck off with Shelly to god knows where. Gilbert is never any help so I had to settle things and as usually I just plied them with alcohol till the problem stopped.

Last time I saw most of the group they were parting ways. Gilbert and Marianna-who's a stripping drunk by the way-were heading for Ludwig's house. I think he's expecting her to be a good screw because she's like Francis' little sister but who knows. I know for a fact Gil's not sober enough to get a key in a door much less actually fuck her. Antonio and Romano were heading for home. Normally I would have followed them but there honestly wasn't any point tonight. Romano was drunk enough to pass out so Antonio is literally carrying him home. Any photos I could get there I already have a copy of. You know we still didn't find Francis and Shelly? I'll just text one of them later.

"That's nice," was all Belle replied absentmindedly while really putting effort into shinning the one area under her hand. It just wasn't shiny enough to be up to her standards. Though considering Antonio wanted the brat over her, she really must not have good standards at all.

"What's wrong, Belle?"

"Nothing, Lizzie. I'm fine."

"Nothing my ass. You've been off since I've been here. Plus, you're polishing a hole in the bar top. You only do that when you're upset."

"I'm seriously fine," Belle stated once again though much more snappishly. She did not feel like sharing the fact yet again that she had an inferiority complex to the Italian with an inferiority complex. Turning her back from the bar she reached for glasses to polish, since a body was taking up the rest of her regular polishing space.

"It's about Antonio and Romano isn't it?" Elizaveta asked while sitting up and turning mostly toward Belle. The small spasm the blonde gave answered her question better than words ever would. "Seriously he's not worth you being this upset or obsessed. There are plenty of better fish in the sea."

"That's not the problem," she tried responded trying to be contrary and childish.

"Look, love hurts. You win sometimes and usually lose tons more. The most important thing is to keep in the ring, " she tried to reason with her friend. Love advice from a divorcee was not exactly the greatest advice in the world but it was better than none. If anything she was a road map of what not to do, she admitted privately.

"It's not about love," Belle responded though gritted teeth. Lizzie was just being an annoying burden tonight. Though she was being an annoying burden by being right.

"You're right it isn't about that. I don't think you love him anymore-"

"I do love him though!" she snapped finally turning around again. Feeling her cheeks burn red, she pulled herself up to full height and calmly stated, "I think you need to leave, Hungary."

"Just admit it, Belle. You don't love him in a romantic way anymore and you don't know how to move on. So instead of trying to move on you stay in this rut giving yourself a complex over Romano of all people. Despite the fact Romano is a little monster, Antonio loves him in a romantic sense and is the only person that does if you ask me. In turn Romano loves him though he has a piss poor way of showing it most days, " Elizaveta finished before hopping down from her seat and moving around to the same side as her friend. "There is no room in that equation for you and you know it. Deep down I bet you've even tried to move on already and maybe even already have. It's the outside Belle realizes this too."

In response to her close friend's little speech, Belle stood there in complete silence for a moment letting the truth sink in and resonate throughout her. Everything that was said was true in varying degrees. She did realize that Antonio did not and would not ever love her in the same way he loved Romano. Even though she thought herself a much better match, Romano still made him happier than she could. It was just that letting Romano have that spot in Antonio's heart hurt her. Romano had the power to hurt him and did it on too many occasions. It was more the idea that she lost to someone that mean that kept her hanging on trying to win a battle she had lost a long, long time ago.

"What you said is true," Belle began quietly, "so then why does it hurt so much to realize the truth?" Sinking to the ground she closed her eyes to try and staunch the tears that threatened to fall. "Why does losing hurt so badly? Why did I lose to someone like him? If I can't win over Romano then whom can I win over?"

Moving to her best friend's side Elizaveta sank the ground as well. Putting an arm around Belle's shoulder she pulled the other girl close. Letting her head rest against her chest, she softly stroked Belle's blonde hair. Hot tears were staining the front of shirt and quickly bleeding through to her skin. It did not matter though because Belle finally had the breakthrough (and breakdown) she had needed for a while. "I don't know, Csúcsnyereg, but I know this. There are people who love you and want you but they eventually stopped trying to win you over. They would try and wait but realized they couldn't get past Antonio to you. You didn't even notice them. However there are people who want you, the only matter is finding them now."

* * *

**Csúcsnyereg is Hungarian for Poppet. **

**Hey it's here with the update! Another depressing chapter and completely not my style but I like it. I realize it's been awhile and both Courtesans feel bad for that. We've promise to try and update more often. **

**Hope you liked the fanfic! Feel free to send any comments our way.** **One of us is bound to get it and reply if possible. **


End file.
